The clarion., 1887-11-02
Now per cent, on that sum-. Sc, 226, 1888
Coynrara amt annropriated

annually by sec. L.. .$or--o 30.
Behold What seems to be an appropri-
alton of SC, 226. 20 annually to the Univer-
sity, is really a payment of interest on
debt composed almost wholly of Planters
Bank investment and deposit. And Gov.
Brown recommended it.
Now Senator George said as above quo
ted, of the Act of tS4S:
l. That il was a settlement which should
have been final as adIgdioata, both as
to principle and amount. (Agreed 10, so
far as its one principle is concerned).
,. That when an attempt was made to
reopen it in 1856, it was again re affirmed
in the most solemn manner. And yet he
also says in another place, that the Legisla-
ture of Sc "scornfully repudiated the pre-
tensions of Gov. McRae and Mr.. Thomp-
son To MAKE rHK UNIVERSITY A CREDITOR
-Sicl.
3. That it was never re-opened until 1850.
"and then in the mode 1 the Senator have
stated" As we now see there was no such
discrepancy between the act of lS4S and
the act of 1850 as the Senator thinks.
They agree in recognizing the Planters
Bank debt, well as the debt for the sums
actually on the Treasurer's books.
4. That Gov. Brown never did aught by
word or deed to give countenSnce TO this
unjust and illegal demand" yet he re-
commended the step in his message, and
approved tOe Dill Wbeh passed.
5. That in 1856, there was not whisper
or suspicion that the State owed more, or
that the University claimed more, than the
$7S,5Il so on Grifith's book. yet it ap-
pears that eight years before there was a
very loud whisper" and very strong sus-
picion that the State owed, not only that
sum but also the Planters Bank debit.
In short, since ls4S the State has recog-
nized the Planters Bank debt, and paid in
tersst ON il annually. The term interest"
was not used in section l. Why that term
was avoided, | can only conjecture; per-
.haps the Legislature desired not TO commit
the State in express terms on any phases of
the Planters Bank business, since there
was the two millions of bonds outstanding.
By the way, il seems that the Senator did
not exactly understand section l, when he
wrote his article; and yet, as he says IN the
case of Mr.. Thompson, the explanation OF
the Statute twas absolutely under his nose
Curiously enough, the Senator in his state
ment Of account has excepted this payment
of St, ,226 10 from his long array of charges
| against the University. 1t is one of the
| only two exceptions he made; and yet 1t Is
in fact, one of the few appropriations
which are clearly chargeable to the lnstitu-
tion as payments on account.
ANOTHER MISTAKE OF THE sENAroR's-AoT
|
The Senator draws very graphic Pic
| ture of the passage of this statute; OF the
circumstances attendant on its passage, the
motives that led to it, etc, etc. he says;
| THE Legislature, in the Act of lS4S, made
a further endowment, so that the annual
income of the University should amount to
| near 81 / OOOO 90 The Act of
1S4s proceeded on the idea that the amount
of the fund then due, viz: SIS, l.50, should
be preserved as capital, and all subsequent
| collections from others of debts due the
Seminary Fund, should also be preserved"
The Senator then proceeds as follows u
shall analyze his utterances, quoting, how
ever, literally and consecutively):
/. "But this did not suit the University.
it wanted more money, as in 1880, Its
needs were for AN INCREASE OF REVENUE"
?. Finding that the Legislature was eI-
tremely liberal, the effort was made at the
next session, January l, 1880, and succeed
} ed to get a further endowment"
3. $50, finding that could be obtained,
the idea of PRESERVING THE SUBSEQUENT COL
l | IFcr1oNs FROM THE SEMINARY FUND AS oAPI-
TAIL. AND WHICH WAS so PROMINENT TWO
} YEARS BEFORE, WAS ABANDONED (stc); and
an act was passed March 3, 1850, giving the
University as q further endowment $4,000
, more per annum, and also $4,000 more IN
addition, out of SUBSEQUENT collections
: from the Seminary Fund"
= = Here, then, the Senator distinctly asserts
= as facts three things: the dissatisfaction oi
: the University with its income under the
II act of 184S; an effort made by it to procure
y further endowment at the session of 1850
- an abandonment by the University OF thu
- idea of preserving its capital intact, be
y cause of a discovery that a further appro
10 priation could be obtained" These ar
unqualified assertions Of fact; and yet ever,
H. word of it is "a delusion" as the Senate
y; says; every word is fancy sketch Thi
statute was the one establishing the Gee
III logical survey, and putting it in charge O
Dc the University. The simple truth sbou
- its passage is this
= The University had nothing whatever
" do with it, l have read the minutes of tn
Board of Trustees for the three preceedin
"a years through carefully; and there is not
u word looking to the inauguration of an
'e Geological survey, or any other action beal
'' ing on this point. No one was authorize
> to ask the Legislature of 1856 for anything
; Geological survey was wholly alien to th
&c scheme of the University's work. The wa
> it was brought about was this:
ID Before, or about the time of the meetin
- = of the Legislature, DIR. James b. G. Thorn
l. ton, distinguished citizen of Ranki
VI county, addressed to Gov. Matthews LET
: ter, dated from Rankin county, calling hi
"a attention to the desirability of Geologl
"a cal and Agricultural survey of the State, :
l. be conducted by the State; and urging tn
l. matter thus, because too expensive to b
undertaken by his own private enterprise
$ About the same time, the American Asso
su citation for the advancement of Science
'h presented to the Governor memorial I
Vt, the same effect. When the Legislator
u convened, the Governor, in his Annual Met
ne sage, devotes nearly page of printed mat
~ ter to this question; recommends the SUI
81 vey, and suggests that IN alabama such sur
e, zen had been commenced under The patronage {
ne The University of the State. These document
sc could have been found by Senator Georg
P in the Senate journal of 1850, PIP. 166 I
OF 169, 40 to I73, and 90 His examination
to into the University affairs was not by an
". means as exhaustive as his letter indicate
Sc that he supposed it to be.
i, :, Thus, the whole thing was arranged ou
" u side of the University, and so far as kno'
~ ~ or can discover without consulting /
III III The work was inaugurated, and the duty {
oU conducting it placed on the University
- which was, of course, subject to the CON
- mand of the Legislature. The sum {
$4,000 per annum was appropriated to d
IL it with; one half to be applied to the pu
~ chasing of books and apparatus, and u
sn payment Of the salary Of Professors and ASH
,ie tant Professors of 4gricuitSrai and Geologic
ne .Sciencss In The UniUersitg At that time thel
ne were no such professors and there never hs
- been any such; and resolution had ev'
~ been passed by, or offered in, the Board {
M Trustees looking to the organization of SUI
or chairs The act itself created them.
u An amendment to the act, approved o
re the same day, required room to be htte
3D. up in the capitol for depository and sho'
IN room of specimens, with the State LibT
zee rian as curator and the State Geologic
hh Society in charge of tall of 1t, part
NJ this scheme
ed If the Senator had read the memorial pr
'er sented by Mr.. Thompson in 1856, or Il
81 message of Gov. McRae, over which he is
ne merry, he would have seen that vel
me prominent feature of those documents Wi
en- a request that the University be relieved
IT. this whole business on the express grount
ne that it was oppressive, docs not form
as part of the course of instruction" lis M
ect properly connected with the business of Il
or institution SIS not legitimately part
on its business''-which humble petition VI
ne treated with the same 'scornfur' silence
the remainder of those documents.
tee And now, reader, understanding the tn
ne history of this legislation, glance back
oenatof deorBe5 accouHt VI ~, oonoiu
In his three charges against the University
om its alleged procurement of it; and say ca
tor didIy whether the Senator's analysis OF &
nd case is very reliable one.
ly What becomes of the Senator's propo'
ton that the University, in procuring ID
lly ILL.,, 1savoJ,sT cor, rcTIoss r.1
, THE SEMINARY FUND AS CAPITAL" etcY Il
n1 University simply had nothing to do wi
ma it; it.had no choice in the matter. 1t W